The Most Unpopular Baby Names Of 2021

For parents welcoming a new baby into the world, choosing a name can be an incredibly difficult task. Many try to stay away from the super-popular names that they see over and over again throughout the years, especially when they know multiple celebrities, friends, and peers that share the name. Let's not forget the names that have, unfortunately, taken a turn for the worse, like Karen or Chad. Although it is always sweet to name your child after a loved one, special memory, or place, it's important to think about how the name is also going to age over time as well, and whether or not it will always remain as popular, or unpopular, as it is now. 

Luckily, we combined a list of the most unpopular names of 2021 that did not make the Social Security Administration's list of top 1,000 popular baby names between 2019 and 2020. This list is updated regularly with data regarding how many people are using the name, and where it falls on the popularity scale. Some of these names have been on a downfall, and will most likely continue in the same direction into the new year. Scroll down for the baby names that have recently fallen out of favor.

Up first we have the name Yaritza. This beautiful name comes from Spanish and means "small butterfly." Unfortunately, it's been on a major popularity decline in the last year. Between 2019 and 2020, the name dropped from ranking at 813 to 1,200, a whole 387 spots, on the Social Security Administration's list. According to Baby Center, the name Yaritza has fallen to rank at 2,656 in 2021. This name was most popular back in 2008, when 447 American females born had the name, representing about 0.021 percent of baby girl births. 

Although we love a classic 2000s name, new parents are becoming more creative while choosing baby names, and staying away from those that were heavily used years ago. With fewer and fewer families using the name, that ultimately means we are going to have to say goodbye to the name Yaritza for a while, until it circles back into popularity. 

Ah Vivaan, you are such a cute and unique baby boy name, but why did you have to become so unpopular this year? This name saw a pretty hard drop in popularity, and was booted out of the top 1,000 names on the Social Security Administration's rankings. Starting off at rank 876, it had the potential to stay within the top 1,000, even if it was at a low ranking. It was eventually booted down to rank number 1,253, so it's safe to say fewer people were interested in it. This name was at its most popular in 2019, and has been on the decline ever since. According to Baby Center, the name Vivaan dropped about 311 spots in popularity in 2020, and hasn't made much of a comeback during 2021.

If you don't absolutely hate the name Vivaan, there are plenty of other closely-related names you can use instead. These baby boy names include Vihaan, Aryan, Kiaan, Ethan, Kaiden, Liam, and Evan. 

If you are a late 90s or early 2000s kid, then you know that the name Marissa was once one of the hottest names out there. Marissa was at its most popular between 2000 and 2009, but lately, people have started using it less. According to the Social Security Administration, the name hit its peak in popularity in 2004, with a total of 4,009 girls born with the name, representing about 0.199 percent of female births. We all knew at least one or two girls named Marissa, whether they were siblings, friends, or peers in school. Whether or not the name stirs up memories, it's important to note that the name isn't as popular as it used to be.

The name Marissa also saw a hard drop in popularity between 2019 and 2020, when it dropped from ranking 875 to 1,084 on the list, and was therefore booted out of the top 1,000. This may come to a surprise to many since the name was once so common, but maybe it's a good thing that it is finally being retired.    

The name Alexzander has been around for a while. Although it is a cuter alternative to Alexander and gives the traditional spelling of the name some extra spice, it doesn't seem to be as liked as it once was. Considering that it dropped a whole 284 spots on the ranking list, it is safe to say that the name has officially become unpopular. The name, which is of Greek origin meaning "defender of the people," can be associated with a true leader. Ancient Greek ruler Alexander The Great had the name, along with Alexander Graham Bell, and Alexander Hamilton, all people who have had a major influence on society.  

Unfortunately, Alexzander hit its peak in popularity back in 2006. With its consistently low ranking, it may vanish in the new year. It is possible for the name to make a comeback, but for the time being, it might be safe to drop this name from your list of potential baby names. If you are looking for something similar, try Zander, Aiden, Xander, or Axel! 

We really hate to break this to you, but it's time to drop Annabella from your baby name list. The name comes from Latin and means "beautiful," and yes, it is a beautiful name, but that doesn't mean it's still popular. Annabella fell from its spot at 655 and dropped down to ranking at 852 on the Social Security Administration's top 1,000 list this year. While it does have the potential to turn around, it is highly unlikely. The name had its moment back in 2014 when it was most popular, when 1,278 female births had the name, representing about 0.065 percent of babies born with the name. In 2020, fewer parents used the name, and only 315 babies were born with it. It joins other classic names like Isabella, Bella, and Annabelle, which are all common, popular, and overly-used. 

It's time to let go of Annabella. Not only is it unpopular now in 2021, but it is way too similar to the horror movie "Annabelle" with the possessed doll, and for that, we are absolutely saying goodbye. We are not claiming that type of energy in the new year! If you don't want to succumb to this name but still want something similar, try Ava, Emma, Isabelle, or Sophia!

Javion was cute back in 2008, but in 2021, not so much. According to the Social Security Administration, it was a hot name in the early 2000s, and peaked in 2008 when about 448 boys were born with it, or 0.021 percent male births. However, in 2020, it was booted off the list of top 1,000 most popular names, dropping from No. 953 to 1,212. As it falls lower down the charts, we simply do not hear this name as often as we used to. Baby Center also shows a decrease in the name's popularity amongst users in 2021, as Javion dropped in its rankings down to 1,482. 

Javion is closely related to other common names, such as Javon, Jamir, Jasiah, and Jayden, though some of these are definitely more popular than others. If you are trying to stay away from a mainstream name, Javion is definitely one that might be not be used as often anymore in 2022. 

Ariadne, from Greek origin meaning "very holy," has fallen in popularity in 2021. Even though it is a holy name, it doesn't make up for the fact that is has become unpopular. It ranked at 999 for a few years, coming pretty close to losing its spot in the top 1,000. In 2020, it finally happened, officially dropping all the way down to No. 1,195. 

It was at its most popular back in 2016, and since then, we have been hearing the name less and less. According to the Social Security Administration, in 2016, about 289 female births had this name, making up about 0.020 percent of girls born that year. Unfortunately, the name has been on the decline since 2017, and hasn't had much success making its way back up since. There aren't many famous celebrities with this name, but it's closely related to names like Aurora, Athena, and Evangeline. 

Reyansh is a male name of Indian origin meaning "part of a stream" (via Baby Names). Although this name never topped the charts in the United States, Baby Center lists it as the second most popular boys name in India. According to the Social Security Administration, the name Reyansh was at its most popular back in 2017, when 384 male births in the U.S. had the name. Since then, its usage has dropped dramatically from 804 all the way down to 1,062 on the ranking list. It is safe to say that Reyansh is on its way out in the new year. 

If you are ready to ditch this name for something different, there are plenty of names that sound similar, like Ramses, Ringo, Ramsay, Renske, and Ramos. 

According to the Social Security Administration, the name Patricia was one of the top 20 female names between 1927 to 1969. This name has been common for ages. In fact, Patricia is the second most popular name for all births of girls between 1921 and 2020.

The name started to dramatically drop in popularity in 2017, sliding to No. 883. Between 2019 and 2020, the name went from ranking at 942 to land painfully at spot 1,123, so it is becoming even more unpopular as time goes on. The name Patricia originates from England, meaning "noble." Although this is a strong female name, it might be time to think of something a little more creative. 

Although this name is lacking in popularity nowadays, there are many celebs we all know and love that have the name Patricia, or go by Patti for short. How could we ever forget about Patti Smith or Patti LaBelle? These two female artists were both born in the 1940s, proving that this name was once super popular during that time period, but is now phasing out.  

Kenny, Kenny, Kenny. We all know a boy or two that have this name, most likely because it used to be incredibly popular. Back in 2000, about 566 male births had this name, making up about 0.027 percent of boys born, according to the Social Security Administration. This name was already ranking pretty low on the top 1,000 popular names list in 2019, staying at 866. By 2020, it moved over to rank at 1,094, dropping down a whopping 228 spots. One might say it is losing its spark for sure. The name Kenny comes from Scottish origin, meaning "handsome." Yeah, you probably knew a cute Kenny at some point in your life, but this name for men has been on the decline for quite some time now.

One well-known celebrity with the name Kenny is filmmaker Kenny Ortega. Ortega has blessed us with many television and movie series that we all know and love all too well, like "High School Musical," "The Cheetah Girls," "Gilmore Girls," "Descendants," and "Hocus Pocus" (via IMDb). Ortega was born in 1950, so this name has been around for a while. 

The name Jayde for girls started to pick up in popularity in the late 1990s when other gemstone-related names, like Ruby or Pearl, also became popular (via Oh Baby Names). The name was originally spelled Jade, but the stylized spelling, Jayde, gained popularity in the late 90s. The Social Security Administration's data shows that the name Jayde hit its peak in 2017, when 455 female births were recorded with the name, or about 0.024 percent of that year's female births. It is a gender-neutral name with English origins, and is best known for its beautiful green gemstone color. However, it has started to become more and more unpopular over time. Ranking at No. 832 in 2019, 2020 pushed it back even further to No. 1,025, overall eliminating it from the top 1,000.

Parents who use the name Jayde typically like other shorter names that start with the letter J that are similar, such as Jada, Jett, Jody, or Jude. Jayde might be a pretty unpopular name in 2021 and going into the new year, but it's been around way too long to vanish for good, so there is hope that it will turn around. For now, the numbers speak for themselves!

Sadly for the name Marquis, it dropped way too low on the most popular baby names list that it had to make it onto this list of unpopular names of the year. Marquis, ranked at 957 in 2019, took a hard fall to rank at 1,145 in 2020, pushing even further back on the popularity scale. According to the Social Security Administration, the name was most popular in the '80s and 90's, and in 2000, over 580 boys were given this name. It's been slowly dwindling in popularity since then. Marquis, which is of French origin meaning "noble landowner" has been losing its interest and excitement for awhile now. It quickly faded out of the top 1,000 names in 2020, and we can say the same for 2021 and the upcoming new year. 

The good news is, there are similar names that can be used instead that are still pretty popular for boys, including Marci, Marco, Marcus, Marek, and Marius. Sadly, Marquis isn't making a comeback anytime soon in 2022. 

The name Miah, a stylized version of the more commonly-spelled Mia, was once a pretty popular name for baby girls and was more unique than the rest. Coming from Latin origin, the name means "mine" or "wished-for child." However, things started to change after its peak in 2012. During that year, a total of 499 girls were given the name, representing 0.026 percent of female births. Since then, the ranking of this name has declined from its spot at 876 to 1,067 between 2019 and 2020, according to the Social Security Administration. Although the name Miah is dropping in popularity quickly, this name is a good alternative to Mia, which has held its spot at the No. 8 most popular name for girls since 2019.

Though the spelling may be different, there are many famous celebrities out there with the name Mia, including actress Mia Farrow, who starred in films like "Rosemary's Baby" and "Cries and Misdemeanors" (via IMDb) and Kate Winslet's daughter, Mia Threapleton. But since Miah is doing so poorly on the ranks, it doesn't seem it will make its way back up, even with the help of famous celebs. 

If Toby Flenderson, the Human Resources Representative at the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin, couldn't bring the name Toby back into popularity, then we don't know what will! Toby has slipped down 188 places between 2019 and 2020, according to the Social Security Administration. This drop on the list isn't much of a surprise, considering it was at its most popular back in 2004, with 612 boys born with the name. Even though famous country artist Toby Keith has this name, it won't make much of an impact in 2021. The name Toby is of Hebrew origin, meaning "God is good," but is still ranked pretty low in 2021, according to Baby Center users. 

Thinking about ditching Toby from your baby name list? There are plenty of other names that are similar to it, such as Oliver, Tobias, Owen, Finn, Theo, and the top male name of the year, Liam. 

It may come to a surprise, but the name Tinley isn't as unique and popular as many may think it is when first hearing it. Already ranking at 964 in 2019, it dropped even lower to No. 1,152 in 2020. According to Baby Center, it's ranked at 1,295 by users in 2021 as well. Although it has its moment in 2016, when 358 girls were born with the name, there hasn't been much of an increase in the usage of this name since then. Which is such a shame, because it is a really cute name! The name has a bit of a rhyme to it alongside other well-known names, like Finley or Kinley. Tinley, also spelt as Tenly, comes from English origin, which is a variant of the name Towneley.

This name might not be as popular anymore, but not to fret! Names like Tamela, Timila, and Townes are similar if you love this name.